Final Destination: The Missing Scenes & POV series
by Cici-inator
Summary: Missing Scenes & POVs - missing scenes from the movie and character POVs - Alex & Clear centric. UPDATED! Ch.4!
1. The Tortured Soul

**Summary:** Missing scene. What happened with Alex and Clear after the incident at the train tracks after Billy is killed? For me, this makes up for the deleted extended scene on the beach. You know the original baby subplot they had? Glad they ditched _that_ idea but I wasn't so happy they cut the extended little romance bit on the beach –so that's what I'm making up for it here and keeping far away from that subplot as humanly possible. This is just my take on what we should have seen. 

Alex was next. His intervention to save Carter had triggered the sudden change of course in Death's design. It was his time, but Alex stopped it and instead it skipped Carter and went straight for Billy Hitchcock's jugular – literally. Alex was frantic. The cops were coming. He had to run. Question was: would anyone run with him? He had to protect himself. And strangely enough he felt an affinity to protect Clear Rivers. A girl whom, four years ago, didn't even enter his thoughts once. And now she was the potential object of his affections. He felt guilty for what had happened to Billy. His guilt consumed him and it made it harder for him to decide what to do next. 

Luckily for him, Clear decided. She suggested he hide at her father's cabin, away from Feds Weine and Shreck while Carter could quickly exit the scene himself. Alex listened to the sirens screeching through the night air. He silently mused over everything. Thinking it all through. Carter startled him out of his reverie:

"Get outta here!"

For the first time in his seventeen years, Carter Horton was finally getting off his ass and showing someone a little gratitude. Even if he felt resentment coursing through his body. Alex has only moments ago saved his life – again. The least Carter could do was return the favour. If not for him, then his family. For Terry.  His Terry who was so suddenly snatched away from him. 

Alex was still holding on tightly to Clear when Carter ordered them to flee. His eyes darting to Carter then Clear. They ran off into the woods behind them leaving Carter to his own devices. His hands went beseechingly into his hair and he let out an anguished sigh. He watched them go and looked down to his soaked pants. The sirens were getting louder which meant the cops were nearing. Carter dashed into a group of trees and ran off in the opposite direction, leaving behind Billy's headless corpse – along with his bravado. 

~*~

To Alex, it seemed like he and Clear were forever running through the woods. They seemed to be never ending – just like Death's attempts at trying to kill them. Four down three to go. Clear's father's cabin came into view. It was run-down and almost near dilapidated. Like no one had been in it for years. The windows, among others, were boarded up. With all the faults it had, Death would certainly not have a hard time penetrating those walls. 

"I haven't been here since before he died." Clear confirmed as if reading Alex's mind. 

_What if she could?_ Alex thought. He was clairvoyant so why couldn't she have some soft of gift? He followed her up the stairs to the door. She pushed it open and motioned for him to go in first. He went in and saw it was bathed in complete darkness. Soon he saw his and Clear's shadows cast along the back wall. He turned to face her; she had just put a flame into an old rusty lantern. The shadows of the flame danced across her face, picking out her features. He wanted to reach out and touch her. Feel how silky her skin was. See if her lips were as soft as they looked. He wanted to thank her for letting him hide out here and that was the only way he could show his true feelings. There was something between them. A spark had ignited and it excited and scared Alex at the same time. 

For a brief moment he returned to the thought about their non-existent relationship in their four years at Mt Abraham. He couldn't think why he had almost went through all of high school not knowing her. Now, in this moment, it seemed weird not to. 

"Here…" Clear said, putting out a chair for him, as she watched Alex pacing around nervously in front of her. She wondered how someone could think so much. She used to think she was the only one who questioned what life threw at her. Now more than ever, Clear believed that she and Alex were destined to be soulmates. Kindred spirits. They had so much in common including being a little weird. Well Clear more so as she was portrayed to be a loner while Alex the popular student. But since Flight 180, the entire student body couldn't look at Alex in the same way. But as Clear had learned, he was not crazy but simply a tortured soul. As much as she cared for him, Alex would drive her insane with all his pacing. 

"You'll drive me dizzy if you keep up this tortured act."

Alex made no sound. He looked shiftily around the cabin, trying to find any obvious hazards that Death could take advantage of. 

~*~

_Above them, a thick, black mist emerged through a broken slack in the tainted roof. It knew the boy was being conscious of his next move. It had to eliminate him as soon as possible. He could see into the future and that was a threat to It's design. _

_"It's alright," the girl assured him. "There wasn't much here anyway. Like I said, it's been a while."_

_Death's attention reverted back to finding a way to eliminate the psychic. The girl seemed certain the cabin was hazard proof. It seemed to be, but Death had other ideas. _

~*~

Alex sat down, taking off his jacket and rested his head in his hands, letting out an exasperated, defeated sigh. So many things were racing through his head: the premonitions; the cryptic chat with the Mortician Bludworth; finding Val Lewton impaled with the kitchen knives; the image of Billy's headless body slumping to the ground not to mention these new feelings he was radiating towards Clear…the list went on. He didn't even hear Clear pulling a chair up beside him. Alex only realised it when he felt her hand on his knee. She gave him the most reassuring squeeze possible. 

"What's going on Alex? Tell me what's inside that head of yours. Do you know what's going to happen next?"

"Death." He whispered almost inaudible that Clear wasn't sure she heard anything. 

"That's what's going to happen."

"No, it's  not."

"Someone is going to die tonight. Whether it's you, Carter or me. We can't keep avoiding it. It will get us."

"So you're just going to give up? Boy, I thought there was more to you, Alex. I thought you had hidden depths."

Alex knew giving up wasn't the most favourable option. He wanted to save himself. Save Clear. Carter as well, even if he was such a stubborn asshole. But considering what they were up against, giving up seemed the inevitable. 

"What else is there to _do _Clear? I don't have the answers. If I did, do you really think I'd be hiding her like some scared little boy? I don't know how I'm going to stop Death – _if _I stop it."

"What happened to the Alex from five minutes ago?" Clear demanded. "The one who held me and reassured me that he wouldn't let anything happen to me? Where did he go, hmm? Did he just vanish all because you felt a sudden attack of guilt? You're a coward."

Alex flinched at her words, knowing they were true. He _was_ being cowardly. Sighing, he got to his feet, making his way to the window. He gazed out into the darkness, looking up at the stars, thinking about what Clear had said about their Flight 180 friends still being in the sky. They shouldn't be. They should be down on Earth. Living. 

"That's it isn't it? You feel guilty. Guilty for starting this. Having that vision. Not being able to save Ms Lewton." 

Clear stood too, several feet from Alex's turned back. 

"You don't have to feel guilty. You saved Carter. You didn't know your intervention would lead to Billy's demise."

Alex was about to agree; it was true but somehow he didn't feel it. What he did feel was a threatening chill. A ominous presence. He was trying to pin point where it was and to do that he had to blank out all distractions. Clear's voice became a distant sound in his head and was drowned out by a sinister hissing. Like an evil, victorious laugh but not quite. He clamped his eyes shut, squeezing them until they hurt. An image entered the fray:

_Glinting edge. _

_Cable snapping. _

_Wooden splinters. _

"Are you even listening to me? Alex!"

Alex's eyes snapped open upon hearing Clear's heated cry. Suddenly he knew what that vision meant. He spun around, eyes going straight above Clear's head. And there, as he half-expected, was a ceiling fan completely surrounded by a thick, black, omniscient mist. 

"So, what now you're not even looking at me?" Clear demanded, getting more and more frustrated with Alex's negligence. 

"Great way to score plus points with me…"

Clear was cut off by Alex as he jumped across the distance between them, crashing into her and tackling her to the ground just as the cables on the fan snapped and came crashing down. Clear barely had any time to get herself together as the next thing she knew Alex had instinctively manoeuvred his body over hers, shielding her face from the falling blades. One broke off from the base of the fan and crashed into the wooden floor only several inches away from their heads. 

~*~

_In an angered fury, the mist quickly dissipated and escaped through the slats in the roof. It will get the boy next time. But it had to take care of the girl. Once she was out of the picture it would only be a matter of time before it got the boy. And it would be so easy as he would be nursing a broken heart…_

~*~

When Alex was sure it was safe he turned to look down at Clear. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. From the way you tackled me I'd say I was slightly concussed."

Alex put his hand to the side of her face, checking for any apparent cuts, bruises or any other kind of injury. 

"I'm sorry, I just …"

"So I see." Clear craned her head to look at the blade making a large splinter out of the wooden floor.  "You did it again."

"Did what?"

"You saved me. You're like my own guardian angel. Always there at the right time. Why do you do it?"

"Save you?"

"Yes."

"Because…Well, I…it's…" 

Clear narrowed her eyes at him. 

"Are we sure it's me who's concussed?"

"I don't know."

 _Damn, why did I say that!_

"You don't know?"

"No, no, no. I have no idea why I said that, Clear. If you want the truth…"

_Just say it you fool! _

"It's because I care too much about you."

There. He said it. What reaction would she give him? Would she laugh? Say he was just fooling himself? 

"I don't think I could stand anything happening to you. I feel enough guilt as it is."

"I told you, you shouldn't have to feel guilty Alex." 

"But I can't help it. I can't help but feel guilt. If I'm so special, if _I _can see into the future, possess this gift to save others…then why are all my attempts falling short?"

"They're not falling short. You saved me just there. _Again. _Twice with Carter, twice with me. Do you think you'll be third time lucky?"

Alex smiled. The first smile he had smiled in a long time. 

"Three times the charm."

He was still absent-mindedly stroking her face. Maybe it was so slow that she couldn't feel it. Or maybe she was concussed. 

"You saved us on that plane, Alex. If I hadn't felt what you felt and stepped off that plane then I would be buried six feet under. You _are _the reason I am getting a second chance in this life."

Alex gazed into Clear's eyes and saw determination in those brown eyes. There was beauty in those brown eyes. The expression was beautiful. _She _was beautiful. 

"A second chance  at love."

"Love?" Alex breathed. 

"It's radiating from you.  Don't you feel it?"

Alex couldn't believe his ears. Did he really feel love for this girl? Or was it just a convenience to love her? Because she understood him in so many ways that others didn't? And to say no one in this life has a gift. She did. She felt what he felt.  And that reasoned his next move. He put both his hands to her face and explored her features in the dark. He felt he should have at least let her stand up, seeing as he had all his weight pinned on her for the past five minutes. But he couldn't move his body. _Wouldn't _move his body. The feeling of lying on top of her was just right. And she hadn't said anything on the subject either which made him feel more at ease. Maybe she liked it too.

He traced his fingers across the width of her face; letting his fingers dance freely from one cheek to the other. He tilted her chin up as she tried to shy away. Fade away like she always had the knack of doing in school.  Away from all the problems that plagued her life. But not this time.

"Alex…you don't have to…"

"Shh…"

Alex closed the gap that remained between them, all the while tilting her chin further until her lips met his. It was soft contact at first. Clear's lips were as soft as he had imagined. Now no more imagining as it was real and happening. He had answered his own question. Their kiss intensified as Clear wrapped her arms around Alex's neck, clinging on to him for dear life.

He felt her desperation and yearning but this was neither the time nor place for anything beyond harmless kissing. Reluctantly, he did pull away, albeit very slowly, savouring her taste.

"You should go." He said simply. It wasn't a mean, "I-can't-do-this" type of comment. He wasn't trying to rid of her because he couldn't give in to the temptation that they would inevitably explore. It was because he was the one who had to hide. Not Clear. She had to stay as far away from him as possible. He was next on Death's little list and he couldn't take any chances of having it skip him and kill the only person who seemed to making his life bearable. Someone who he knew he could love, if given the chance. And he has his chance. If he wants to keep it alive she will go home.

"Alex…"

"No arguments. You're going home. Away from me being as safe as possible. Please, Clear. Go. For me."

Clear bit her bottom lip and studied Alex's face. She traced his face like had done so with hers earlier. She didn't want to leave him on his own but she knew he had to figure things out. And if she stayed it could only piss Death off more than it already was. Sighing, she nodded. Alex smiled a soft smile at her. He sat himself up and helped Clear up as well. He stood and offered his hand down to her. She took it and he helped her to her feet. 

She walked reluctantly over to the cabin door, slightly in a daze from standing up too fast. Alex came up behind her and pushed the door open slightly for her. A cold breeze blew Clear's hair and she turned to face Alex who was so very close to her she could almost feel his heartbeat. 

"I will be okay. Trust me." He said huskily.

"With my life." She replied earnestly. 

She leaned up to him slowly and put her lips to his, resisting the temptation to make it something more.

"Goodnight." She whispered opening her eyes slowly to see Alex smiling at her. He nodded. 

"Please don't worry Clear." 

She smiled a sad smile at him and walked down the steps. She turned to look at him one last time over her left shoulder. Alex raised his hand in a solemn gesture as if waving goodbye.  For all Alex knew, it could be goodbye. He didn't know what Death had in store for him. But one thing was for sure: he wouldn't give in without a fight. And he would not see out his life without Clear by his side. His soul mate. 


	2. Author's Note

Author's Note: In regards to a couple of my reviews, I am going to continue adding chapters. This mean's I'll have to rename this story completely. Make it a series of Point Of Views and Missing Scenes. I have a rough idea what Missing Scenes I am going to create, but does anyone have any favourite Alex/Clear scenes (in the movie) that they want me to transcribe out and turn them into point-of-views?  
  
If so just tell me by making a short review to this note and just simply say which scene you would like to see personalised with the character's thoughts and I'll try and make some time to do them. Might take up to a week or so as I've just started college.  
  
Thanks!  
  
Lee xxx 


	3. A Long Flight A Very Long Flight

Author's Note: Alright, sorry for the wait but I have finally written up another chapter. College is just getting in the way and so is work so my writing time is limited. Anyways, this chapter is a combination of missing scene and point-of-view. The missing scene is of Alex, Clear and Carter at the airport as they head off to France (Clear's point-of-view), then a flash back in the movie (Alex/Clear centered of course - Alex's point-of- view) and finally the scene in Paris at the movie's end where Carter gets it.ouch!  
  
~*~ Denotes change of character POV  
  
"Are you deliberately trying to miss this flight, Browning?"  
  
Carter huffed irritated, kicking Alex's feet, causing his head against my shoulder to suddenly jerk awake.  
  
"What?" he responded drowsily.  
  
Here we are, right in the middle of JFK airport, awaiting our flight to Paris and already Carter wants to start another fight with Alex. And as usual I'm the designated referee. Six months had passed since Flight 180 and the debacle with Death and I thought, the for once, Carter would be nice to Alex. My boyfriend who had saved his ass more than once and how does Carter repay him? Nothing but snide remarks and the opportunity to start a fight. Ever since we decided to actually go to Paris to make up for our lost trip, Carter's been on edge. I think the idea of flying has got to him.  
  
"The Paris flight? You know, the one we decided to go on to pay our respects to everyone from Flight 180? You better not get another one of them whaddya call its cos if ya do."  
  
"Change the record Carter," Alex told him, obviously not awake and not in the mood to start fighting. He put his head back down on my shoulder and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Well it was, since Carter had kicked him again.  
  
"Don't be a jerk off. You'll hurt him."  
  
"Oh come on, Clear. I'm just making sure he doesn't fall asleep and go off to plane crash dream land."  
  
"Hey, that was a one off!" Alex defended, sitting up properly, now fully awake.  
  
I didn't understand how Alex took such bullshit from Carter. How anyone in high school took bullshit from Carter. On the outside, he was this merciless jock who could kick your ass if you had so much glanced at him the wrong way. But really on the inside, he was just like the rest of us. He had the same fears and insecurities as anyone else. He could be nice when he wanted to be. So why did he put on such a hard front?  
  
"Whatever," dismissed Carter. "Anyways the point is, everyone is boarding the plane. And I for one am not missing this opportunity to be sipping some beer on a French side-street."  
  
I glanced over at the flight charter and confirmed Carter's comment by turning to Alex and giving him a nod. He yawned and got to his feet.  
  
"Alright. Ready?"  
  
"Sure am."  
  
We picked up our hand luggage and headed over to the gate and at the same time took out our tickets. We quickly scanned the tickets when Carter let out a low, infuriated mumble.  
  
"Great! Just fuckin' great!"  
  
"Carter keep your voice down." I said through gritted teeth, not wanting to have him kicked off the plane again like last time. What was I saying about him being nice? This was certainly not one of those moments.  
  
"What now?" Alex sighed, rolling his eyes.  
  
"The seats. I'm a coupla rows behind you guys."  
  
"The tickets were originally booked for Clear and I." Alex explained. "What did you expect to be sitting with us? You only decided last minute to come on board with the whole memoriam trip to Paris. Taking so long to decide put your chance of being next to us right out the window."  
  
"Am I not supposed to have doubts about flying, hmm? You seem to have put the past few months right behind you!"  
  
"I've not." Alex told him. "Remember what happened to me? I couldn't sleep the night of the crash. Feeling guilty for having that vision. Guilty for what happened to everyone after the crash. Not to mention the fact I almost lost my life by trying to save the one person that actually meant something to me? No, Carter. I don't have any doubts at all."  
  
The sarcasm at the tail end of his voice made me want to giggle but I suppressed a laugh in case Carter took it the wrong way.  
  
"Alright wise guy." Carter snorted, shuffling past me to hand over his ticket first. "I get the picture."  
  
The flight attendant took his ticket and snapped off the end. Then doing the same with Alex's and mine.  
  
"Now I'm gonna be stuck next to some retarded loser watching some crappy in- flight movie-made-for-TV nonsense." He grumbled, marching down the corridor that led to the plane's opening.  
  
I glanced beseechingly at Alex. If this was going to be Carter's attitude then I was not spending a day with him in Paris let alone a week.  
  
"Don't worry about him." Alex reassured me, putting his arm around me, as we walked down the corridor. "He's just a little frustrated. It'll pass. Always does. This Carter Horton we're talking about."  
  
That was what I loved most about Alex. His ability to make me feel better and make all the worries of the world dissipate in one single charming smile. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have him. It was very hard to comprehend that just a couple of months ago, we hadn't even looked at each other, let alone said a word to each other. And now here we are about to spend a week in Paris, the romance capital of the world. It was initially meant to be that way until I stupidly mentioned that Carter should come too. I had wanted to spend more time alone with Alex but leaving Carter out wasn't really fair. He needed a break too. When he refused at first, I was actually relieved. But then he got this urge to go and hence where we are now: squabbling over the seating arrangement. Well, Carter was. I was quite happy where I was.  
  
~*~  
  
We were nearer the front of the plane than Carter was. To be honest, I was quite relieved. Clear and I could get that free-of-Carter time I had initially hoped for way back at the start. I wanted to surprise Clear with a get away break to Paris to try and put the Flight 180 misery behind us. Get to know each other better than we already did. I knew I loved her, but I wanted to find out why she made me feel this way. I think it's the connection we made so late in our high school lives. Again, it all relates back to that horrible plane nightmare. In fact, she was the only good thing to come out of that. And I was grateful for having her in my life and I tell her that every day as well. Sounds corny, yes. But it's how I feel.  
  
I finished putting the bags up into the overhead compartment, shut it down and proceeded to sit down in my seat. As long as I don't fall asleep over the next 6 hours or so then I'm good to go. I noticed an empty seat at the end of our seats, next to Clear. I wondered if it would remain that way or if someone would fill it. Most likely the latter, the queue to get on the plane seemed pretty big. I clicked on my seat belt the second I sat down. I was not taking any chances. Clear noticed my unease immediately.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah." I said. That didn't sound too reassuring did it?  
  
"You're gonna have to do a lot better than that to convince me."  
  
"No, I'm fine. Trust me."  
  
"It'll be okay baby. Lightening doesn't strike twice."  
  
"You're right. It was a one off, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Uh, Clear?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Just make sure I don't fall asleep, okay?"  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let you." She nodded and smiled that sweet smile. Then she raised her eyebrows at me, taking on quite the cheeky little, not so innocent expression I was beginning to know the meaning of.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Liar. You're not trying to tempt me into something I'll regret, are you?" I said, playing along with her. The mighty Clear Rivers could tease but I could tease much better. And it'll have much more effect over anything she could do.  
  
"Hmmm.maybe. Do you want me to?"  
  
"You know what I want?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
I leaned forward and kissed her, and I think it took her quite by surprise to be honest. On a plane full of people, watching you, scrutinising your every move, rolling their eyes muttering "teens" in the most distasteful manner imaginable. But I didn't care. If anyone had a problem with me kissing my girlfriend then I would set the irrepressible Carter Horton on them. Then they would know all about it. She quickly jumped back from me and looked me straight in the face.  
  
"I'm winning." I proclaim.  
  
"No you're not." She tells me. "I'm not letting you. Won't let you."  
  
"Oh but I think you will."  
  
"Won't."  
  
"Will."  
  
"Won't."  
  
"Will." I stated more firmly, brushing some random tendrils from her face. It was weird seeing Clear blonde. Not that I didn't like blonde, I just didn't think it was the colour she would go and dye her hair. My thoughts seemed to spill out as what I was thinking ended becoming my next line.  
  
"Is this you going "blonde" on me?"  
  
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult, Mr Browning."  
  
"Oh definitely the first, definitely."  
  
I pulled her to me again and resumed my soft kisses.  
  
"Oh you two aren't deliberately trying to make me yak are you?"  
  
I pulled away to look up into the eyes of Carter.  
  
"If I wanted to spill my guts out then I would have auditioned for a low- budget horror film."  
  
"Full of the jokes aren't we Carter?" Clear remarked, sighing and straightening her hair out.  
  
What was I saying about setting Carter on people who had a problem with showing my affections? Hmm. I wonder if I could set him loose on himself. He shrugged a response to Clear and began to shuffle his bag into the overhead compartment above our heads.  
  
"Uh, what are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like, Browning?"  
  
"It looks like your invading our space."  
  
"Well, you won't believe this, but something whack happened up at my seat. I had to give it up for an elderly French woman on her way home to Paris. The flight attendants told me go and find another seat so she could sit with some other French passengers. And I spotted a free one up here so here I am. 'Full of the jokes'."  
  
His last comment was deliberately fired at Clear who just raised her eyebrow at him. Before I could say anything at Carter such as telling him to lay off, he had parked himself down in the seat next to Clear. She flinched slightly from him and then straightened herself in the seat.  
  
"So I don't want to see any lovey-dovey activity between you two, okay? I want to have my insides intact before I step off this plane. It would just be insult to injury seeing as the in-flight movie is Sleepless In Seattle. I don't think I could stomach 'Sleepless In Paris'."  
  
He smirked at me. I could tell this would be a long flight. A very long flight. I looked to Clear who just shook her head. There goes some quality alone time. Just wait until Paris. I was definitely not sharing with Carter now. I'd rather have a room of my own in the basement.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------  
  
Okay I'll try and get the next part online as quick as I can. The next part will have a little flash back to a scene in the movie and will be in Alex's point of view. Then it will go on to the last scene of the movie, simply transcribed out with the point-of-view of the chosen character: Clear.  
  
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please R and R. Now some food is calling me after all that writing! 


	4. Paris

**Author's Notes:** Okay, this is the last part for the moment. It includes the flashback I mentioned in the notes of the previous chapter and Clear's point-of-view in that final Paris scene. Watch out for Carter getting it...Ok, so on with the show! 

~*~ denotes change of character POV 

The flight had been in the air for about five hours when I had caught Clear dozing off. I teased her about it saying how it was me she was supposed to stop falling asleep. But in all honesty, I couldn't blame her. Putting up with Carter's remarks about the _Sleepless In Seattle_ movie was enough to make anyone tiresome. Why did he insist on watching it in the first place? I think, secretly, he was only watching it to keep himself occupied. Flying was one of the things he had decided not to do again before he reached his twentieth birthday. But now he himself was catching some shuteye. Finally, a moment's peace from motormouth and just the opportunity to feel how warm Clear's snuggled body felt next to mine was welcoming. It was a precious moment; just sitting there, holding, feeling. All the things I could ever ask for. My mind wandered back to the very night I thought I had almost lost her. The night always played so vividly in mind every time I thought about it. Which was almost every day. This own private movie that was only visible to my mind's eye. This perpetual nightmare that just won't go away. I could hear Clear's desperate pleas with me to not touch those wires that did save her life. They sounded more terrified that usual and I shut my eyes in an attempt to quash those emotions. Bad move, Alex... 

_The sheer sight of seeing Clear stranded in that car, surrounded by those fizzling, dangerous live wires was enough to make my heart sink. Was I too late? Had I not got there in time? Would I *ever* forgive myself? All those questions circled in my head like a stranded kid in shark waters_. _I had told her to trust me and she told me she would. With her life. Is this what my trust had landed her with? Was Death going to win? Hell no. I ran straight to the car and saw Clear through the window. Her expression was one of fear but her eyes had some hope in them. _

__

_"Don't move! Stay there!"_

__

_'Please, don't move' my mind screeched._

__

_She moved._

__

_Trying to escape out the door. But I blocked her path. If she got out, Death would have most certainly won._

__

_"No, no, no! Don't move. Don't touch anything. You're grounded by the tyres okay?"_

__

_Suddenly a spark flew out at me, causing me to jump back. I would never get Clear out of that car alive as long as those power lines were fizzling around. I noticed a spade and picked it up, preparing to attack the wire on the hood of the car. After a few attempts at dodging it, I attacked it, whacking it harder upon each attempt. Death wasn't taking it too kindly that I was desperate to fuck up it's design because the wires zapped the spade out of my hands. Before I could do anything, the spade fired straight into the gargage and knocked over a can of Turps. It flew right out, under the car and I went straight to ground looking over my shoulder to see the wires latched onto the spilled turps and set it alight. I knew Clear was trying to get out but Death sensed her moves and tossed the wires back in her direction, blocking her exit. The flames follows the line of turps under the car. In a heart poudning instant, the outside of the car was engulfed in flames._

_  
"The car's gonna explode!"_

__

_I watched the wires carefully and realised that if I didn't do anything then Clear would die. Then the solution to everything struck me in the side of the head like one of those headache premonitions I didn't particularly favour. I think it was the expression of panic on Clear's face that made me want to save this girl's life. Even if the cost was my own. _

__

_"I can only hold on for so long. You know what to do."_

__

_I figured that if I could hold on, those wires would wrestle the life out of me and Clear would be all right. I would much rather she live than me. I felt that me being on this earth would only be a burden to everyone else. Carrying this stupid curse along with me made me want to end it all. And with me gone, it would put and end to it all. Clear obviously didn't see it that way. Its funny the things we do in this world for love. _

__

_"No, don't!"_

__

_"When I do this, it'll skip you and it'll all be over. It's the only way we can cheat Death again."_

__

_"No don't!"_

_I wish she would stop being so stubborn. It was my time. _

__

_"Clear, I will not let it beat us both. You know what to do."_

__

_All she did was stare at me. I could see the water start to surround her eyes and I could feel my heart breaking into two. She didnt want me to do this, but I had to. I wanted her to see that. She stilled her fighting hands and just gazed at me, shaking, lips trembling. _

__

_"I'll always be with you."_

__

_I moved away from the driver's side and stood straight in front of the car. She started screaming at me to move away. I was going nowhere. Maybe Death would get so pissed off with me that I could escpae this unscathed. But the odds were against me. I barely registered the Feds pulling up outisde the drive, sirens flashing like mad. I knew it was Shreck and Weine._

__

_"Alex! Alex, get away from there!"_

__

_The words were too vague. All I was focused on was the wires and Clear's persistant shouts of objection. I braced myself and picked up the wires. The pain was indescribeable. The heat built up and it shot up my arms. I didn't know what had hit me as I was suddenly tossed backwards. Something iterrupted the searing heat I felt in my hands. I hit the gargage floor and was barely concious. I could sense someone hovering over me but I was out of it too much to focus. I knew it would be Clear, checking to see if I was all right. I felt her hands all over me, she was panicing. Then I blanked out._

__

__The flashback seems like an eternity and I'm relieved when it ends. I open my eyes slowly and take in a deep breath and look down. Clear was still there. Not gone like I had feared so often. Her breathing was slow and steady and I just watched her sleeping. I glanced at my watch and realised we would be touching down at the Charles De Gaulle airport very soon. Carter was awake now. Very much awake, preped for lessons in Insults 101. He looked at me and saw the uneasy look I had on my face. 

"Oh holy fuck, Browning, not again!" He muttered exasperated. "Don't close your eyes. Don't even fuckin' think it, all right? We're almost there and nothing is going to happen, okay?" 

"I didn't say anyt--" 

"No." 

I couldn't get a word in edge ways. He stood up and straightened out his pants. "I'm going to the bathroom. And wake up Sleeping Beauty there. I'm not taking any chances with either of you getting those visions." 

"Just go to the toilet, Carter." I told him sternly, not wanting to listen to him droning on. He raised his hands. 

"Okay, okay, okay! I'm going." 

I moved my legs slightly to give him better access and he exited the aisle. 

"I hope he gets stuck in there." 

I glanced down at my sleeping girlfriend who was now no longer asleep. Carter would rowse a whole plane given the oppertunity. And he'd already started with Clear. 

"We're almost there," I said wanting to change the subject away from Carter. "Captain said 'bout 10mins until landing. Then the fun begins." 

"And he's not ruining this trip for me, Alex. He's going to behave or I'm sending him straight back on an airplane home. I've been looking forward to this for months. I want a good time. I want _us_ to have a good time." 

"And we will." I said, taking her hand, trying to reassure her. If I didn't come across as relaxed then she wouldn't be relaxed. There would be lots of questions. And Carter would get an earful for it. Then Clear brightened a bit. 

"So whats the first thing you wanna do in Paris?" 

"Curl up in my bed and fall away?" 

"As long as I can fall away with you." Clear smiled, leaning to give me a light kiss on the cheek. 

"What was that for?" I asked. 

"What was what for?" 

"That kiss on the cheek. What's the matter with my lips?" I teased. 

"Nothing. You know Carter will end up walking back up that aisle, see us, and come out with one of his smart ass comments. And I for one am too tired to listen to him." 

"Clear, I was joking. You can kiss me anywhere youwant." 

She did that raising the eyebrow thing she was oh so good at. I was being too inviting for my own good. God, was I turning into Carter? 

"Was that a Carter-esque type remark there?" She said, gripping the neckline of my hooded top softly, pulling me closer to her. 

And she was too good at that mind reading thing too! I'm awfully sure she's something special. I couldn't wait to get in those Parisian streets and get cozy. I never thought love would be a part of my life. It was something that never occurred to me. I had never been in love before but I was sure this was something close to it. Maybe it was love. Could I tell her I loved her? I had this feeling that something would happen and that if I didn't, then I would loose her for real, and I wouldn't have the chance to. I would have to keep my eye on her and anything around the three of us. I prayed that nothing ominious would come out of this trip. I broke away from my thoughts when I could feel Clear's lips on my neck, exploring. Well I did say she could kiss me anywhere. It felt so good. I stiffened when I saw Carter looming over us, just like he had before. He did have a knack for interrupting things. Clear saw my attention had diverted and she stopped, knowing Carter was behind her. He sat down and suprisingly didn't say anything. I looked at Clear who just shrugged back, not understanding it either. I didn't bother saying anything to Carter. What had happened in that bathroom? How much thinking could Carter do in 5 minutes? 

~*~ 

The view from my room was amazing. The long, outstretched road leading up to the Arc de Triumph. And just over it, you could see the Eiffel Tower. That was the first place I was going in the morning. I remember being so fascinated with the tower since I was a little girl. I began reading at such a young age and I would go to the library all the time and get out books. I wouldn't particulary read what was written, it was the pictures that got my interest. It amazed me how someone could build something so big and make it look gorgeous at the same time. I went over to my back pack and pulled out one of the tour books I had originally bought for the Flight 180 trip to Paris. I flipped it open and put it down on the balcony ledge. I had just started to read about the history of the city when I felt Alex's arms slip around my waist. He rested his chin on my shoulder. 

" '...the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a few strange scenes'" Alex said, reading aloud. " 'including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954. In 1923, a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs, other accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower's four legs which slope outward.' Hmmm. That sounds interesting." 

"Oh, it is so." 

"If you're into that kind of thrill." 

"Well, you know me." I told him, remembering the time Alex and I broke into the morgue to see Tod Waggner's corpse, hoping it would aid Alex in figuring out Death's design. I don't think I'd be doing _that_ again. 

"Are you coming out for a drink?" He said, swaying our bodies together. "Carter's already at this cafe he spotted, saving us a seat. I ordered you some wine." 

I shut the book over and turned around in Alex's embrace, putting my arms around his neck. 

"I'd rather stay up here, if you know what I mean." 

"Oh come on, let me wine and dine you. Then I promise some _fun_ afterwords." He dipped his head and started to kiss my neck, mimicing my actions on the plane. The feeling of his lips on my neck made me even more determined to stay upstairs on our own. Alex could do so many wonderful things when he put his mind to it. I breathed in his scent and let him caress my neck. He was making it tickly on purpose. 

"You're a little devil you know that?" I said, barely able to get my words out. Alex didn't say anything but resumed the pleasureable activity. And the deliberate twisting of his tongue. I started giggling. And swatted him off. 

"Come on, we better not Carter spend all night alone with a bottle of JD." 

"He's not having JD." 

"Oh well, okay -- I'm not leaving him alone with _any_kind of alcohol." I took Alex's hands down from my waist and kept his left hand tightly in my right. 

"What, we're not staying here?" I heard Alex say, voicing his sudden protest to joining Carter outside as I pulled him out behind me. "What about reading up on Parisian thrill-seekers?" 

"Well you can join those "thrill seekers" and the beautiful view of the tower if you want later." 

"I've got the best view by a mile," he said. I couldn't see his face but I could feel him grinning behind me. Alex was getting rather good at those non-subtle innuendos. 

"Down boy!" 

------ 

Carter was suprisingly sombre after a half an hour of sitting down outside the café. I think he was wishing how Terry was here with him. He's never really gotten over it. Who could blame him. But there was nothing he could have done about her death. None of us could have done anything about it. That bus came out of nowhere, unexpected. Come to think of it, I don't think I saw one in the street while Carter and Alex were arguing over Ms Lewton. 

"It's weird being here, huh?" Alex said, trying to make some conversation with Carter. "We've finally completed a puzzle. It's just, there's something missing you know?" 

I could see what Alex was doing, making Carter open up a little about his feelings. He leaned forward and picked up his glass of beer. He shuffled a little and toasted to Terry. Alex did the same for Tod. 

"To all our friends who can't be here." 

We clinked our glasses together, toasting those who should have been with us. Carter took a sip of his beer through a small smile. He shook his head at something. My guess was it was what he was thinking about in his quiet period not so long ago. Carter Horton quiet with nothing to say? Yeah, I don't believe it too. Alex saw his small smile and was a little uneasy about that. Whenever Carter smiles like that, he's always up to something. 

"What?" 

"If you had told me six months ago, the three of us wold be sitting here having a drink." 

That's a relief, I thought Carter was going to be his usual, cocky self and say something vindictive. I'm not sure whether I take that comment as a sign that Carter is warming to us being his friends or whether he's only relying on us is because he has no one else but us. 

"No, I mean sometimes it just feels that the two of you are the ones who really understand." 

Oh nice save, Carter. I glanced over to another table where I saw a Frenchman playing his guitar. It was relaxing. 

"You were right, Browning," Carter continued, turning his attention from the guitarman to Alex. "It did skip us. It was a design, we beat it, you know? We won." 

Great. I was not sitting here listening to Carter refer back to the Flight 180 disaster. I was trying to move on with my life and all he does is constantly bring it up. He did it on the plane and now he's doing it again. 

"I think the only thing we won, Carter, is a chance at a full life." 

Now that I had said that, I hoped it would shut him up once and for all. Just like Terry Chaney had said before her demise: 'I will not let this plane crash be the most important thing in my life!' My sentiments exactly. I took Alex's hand that was sitting on the top of the table. I squeezed it, tracing the lines of his scars he had gained that night he grabbed those wires, saving my life. I hadn't wanted him to touch those wires as it would have almost certainly killed him. But somehow, Death decided to pull its own little miracle and spare Alex. I guess it was pissed off with him spoling its plans and it had just had enough of him. I don't think I could have been able to stand losing him. I was rapidly falling in love with him and it would have felt like a part of me was missing if he had died. 

"A chance that I won't ever waste." 

"Yeah, there's just something, you know? Something I can't figure out." Alex said. 

"What?" Carter asked, apprehensive. 

"About the design." 

I watched him dig his other hand into his pocket. I knew instantly what he had in there. 

"Alex, just let it go, alright?" I said, taking my hand out of his and dropped my hands into my lap. I shifted in my seat, not wanting to look at the piece of paper I knew he was rummaging around for. 

"Just hear me out, okay?" He pleaded with me. I suppose there was no harm in just listening. If he took it any further I was going back up to my room. He brought out the piece of paper, unfolded it and placed it on the table. 

"Oh my god." Carter breathed out, an immediate hurt look crossing his features. He didn't want to hear about this anymore than I did. I loved Alex, I really truely cared for him but he thinks too much. I never was one for living in the past. Just like when my father died, I grieved then got on with my life. On my own, without him or my mother.But Alex dwells on things too much. 

"Just listen," Alex said, commanding our attention. He started pointing at the seating plan of the Flight 180. "The path of the explosion to determine our deaths, right. I intervened and saved Carter. And it skipped him and went to the next person in the path, it went to Billy, all right? And then it was Clear. But I intervened and saved her so it went to me. But in my case no one intervened, right? I was thrown from that power line by the explosion. So--" 

"So, why'd it skip you?" Carter summarised. "Right?" 

"How do we know this isn't exactly what was meant to happen?" I suggested. "That out of everyone on Flight 180, you, me and Carter were meant to live!" 

Carter acknowledged what I was saying with a simple nod of his head. Glad to see someone was agreeing with me. Even if he was the once-sworn enemy of Alex. 

"Maybe that was the design all along." 

"Or you could still be next." Carter piped up. I shot him an angry look. He always found ways of twisting Alex's words. Mine as well for that matter. He was really insensitive at times. 

"Shut up, Carter." I warned. 

"What?" He protested, as if his comment about Alex being next was never uttered. "I didn't make up the rules. Somebody's gotta intervene before Death can skip them. Alex proved that three times. The plane. With me. With you. For all I know, it could circle back and get us all again. But I am the safest fucker in the world because you're still next!" 

He pointed to Alex's name on the seating plan. Alex's eyes widened and he spun around to look at our surroundings. Maybe Carter was right but I was just not willing to accept that. It wasn't possible. It's been six months. If Death had wanted Alex out of this earth it would have done it by now. 

"Can we just stop talking about this?" I said, wanting to change the subject. I already had enough fears that I would loose Alex and I didn't need Carter piling them on. I wondered if Alex would object to coming back to the hotel with me. If, for any reason, Carter was right, Alex needed to be away from anything hazardous. But that was the problem - I didn't see anything hazardous. But Alex was quickly scanning everything and anything around us. I decided to change the topic of discussion with Carter, but Alex wasn't listening. I was sharing a joke with Carter when a sudden wind knocked over my glass of wine and then Alex jumped back, horrified, watching the red wine spill out over his name in the seating plan. That was enough to freak Alex out. 

"I'll meet you guys back at the hotel okay?" 

"Just wait, I'll go with you." If he was going, so was I. I wasn't letting him leave with his emotions all tied up. I reached down to get my bag. 

"No, no. Just stay here. Okay, Clear? Just stay here alright?" He started to walk away. Carter turned to watch him go. He grinned at him. 

"See, it's true! I told you, you were next, man." 

Alright, that was enough of Carter. He was only making it worse. If I stayed I would only end up verbally abusing him for teasing Alex. The more Alex seemed to freak out, the more I understood his reason to. He was getting signs that some immenient danger was about to happen and if it meant that much to Alex then it should mean something to us. 

"Stop it, Carter. Alex, wait!" I stood up out my seat, bag in hand ready to follow him. He turned around again. 

"No, Clear. Stay there, okay? Stay away." And just like that he continued walking away from us. I sat myself down again and got a weird feeling. Something was wrong. I turned around and saw the reflection of a bus in the window behind me. I spun around just in time to see a bus coming along the side street. 

"Alex!" 

Upon hearing my cry he turn to look at me, see what was wrong. Suddenly the bus swooshed by him like lightening and he jumped back. It narrowly missed him. Carter turned around to see what I was staring at. The bus continued to rattle along the street, almost coliding with another vehicle. The bus slammed into a sign post, nearly knocking over a salesman with a box of vegetables. The sign post shot straight into the air and crashed into a powerline. Our eyes travelled along to see it was connected onto a red neon sign. The end of the sign snapped off. My heart started beating faster as I looked up in horror to see that the sign would come crashing down on Alex. Then my world would really fall apart. 

I shot Carter a desperate, pleading look. He knew what that meant. 

"You're closer! Do something!" 

Instinctively, Alex looked up as the wires holding the sign broke into two and the sign came shooting down towards him. 

"ALEX!!!!" 

Suddenly, Carter dashed across the road and pushed Alex out of the way, tumbling to the ground. Everything was happening so fast. I tried to run over but a waiter stopped me from getting to him. He was alright as far as I could see. Carter was now standing over him. 

"I told you, you were next!" 

"Then it just skipped me." 

"So who's next?!" 

Naturally, the sign had to swing itself back down. I looked up, eyes wide to see the sign coming back down on Carter. It was going to hit him and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I turned away hoping to hear sighs of relief, hoping somehow Alex would yank Carter down to the ground or even Carter throwing himself down. 

But they never came. 

-- End -- 

------------------------------- 

Ahh finally! I've been meaning to get this latest installment online and now finally I have. I'm not sure what to do next whether make Carter somehow marculously live or continue it right up until Death catches up with Alex just before the start of FD2. I'll give myself some more time to think it over - decide which one will be less harder. But I like challenges, so who knows? 


End file.
